Welcome to Steve's gardening blog

Six on Saturday – 03-02/2018

Welcome to my second foray into the world of Six on Saturday – I missed last week and was close to not getting any time again this week. For me I suspect entries will be a little on-off through the season as time passes.

Another busy week has almost drawn to a close and like some of us I have already spent some time this Saturday out in the the garden. More work on the raised beds – which I can now say the 12 primary beds are now all dug over and waiting for the season to begin in earnest – much like I am. Another busy day planned for Sunday including getting a few seeds started – just Leeks and Broad beans, I have resisted any further sowing as yet – I do not have great access to areas with both warmth and light so have suffered with leggy plants in the past.

Onwards now onto my six entries!

A couple of small, barely noticeable signs of the changing seasons as we move from Winter towards Spring. The buds from my small weeping willow that is in the chicken run to provide my girls with a bit of shade. The other small and innocuous looking one is from my Akebia Quinata growing up my pergola – hoping this will put on a slighter better show this year.

A couple of nice little heathers close to my attempt at a rock garden – these seem to be quite happy in their little spot. I have moved them in the past and they have recovered well and put on a nice little pop of colour at a time when that can be lacking from many places.

At last – I have a little success with snow drops. I have tried bulbs in the past to no effect – from what I have read, this seems to be common enough. Now a few are dotted around the top of my garden that were planted from bulbs ‘in the green’ which generally seems to be a more successful way. Fortunately for me this has proven the case and with luck over a few years this meager few will spread to form some nice little clumps.

The rise of the Daffodils has started, another sign we are heading towards longer days and hopefully a little more warmth. There are quite a few little clumps of these dotted about in what I call my mini orchard, of a few varieties. The garden wouldn’t be complete without some good old Daffs and to get these in the garden I went for naturalising them in the grass rather than putting them in the flower beds (although there are a few there). This adds a bit of colour and interest up among the trees before they start to come into leaf and flower.

I had not even finished the raised beds when I found signs of an imposter in the garden first thing this morning. This in the form of both a beautiful creature and at times an arch enemy – the Muntjac deer. I love seeing these little deer about, and having them in my garden in many ways is great. There is however a very large BUT – they will eat all sorts, many of my shrubs show sign of damage as well as any root crops left in and when in leaf the fruit trees have come under attack. It is a bit of give and take I suppose, the joy of seeing these so close, but the pain of them taking food I would rather was left alone.

In creating the raised beds I got 4 tonnes of manure – only about half of which I have used. The rest will sit in the compost area to rot down further for next autumn. This has had a bit of a boost for space adding two more bays that have been created using just soil. This is excess from the footings of my recent extension so being put to a use of sorts for the time being. I must make sure I give them heaps a turn or two as the months pass to help it all rot down nicely ready for use as mulch.

That’s it for this weeks six – a bit of a mixed bag from lively flowers to manure. Hoping to get some good garden time in tomorrow and next week I will be going to the East Anglian potato day looking for this years spuds! I know Charlotte is on the list, the other 2-3 varieties remain a mystery for now. No doubt I will make mention of these soon enough as they complete my growing list of veg for 2018.

Have a good weekend folks and don’t forget to check out the Propagators blog ( https://goo.gl/uFxBLZ ) for other Six on Saturday entries!

Related

14 Comments

That’s interesting that you have a problem with Muntjac deer nibbling on everything – we have trouble with Roe Deer doing much the same in the garden and on the allotment. They’ve even managed to eat through the fleece-covered tunnels, and broke through the netting to get to my strawberry plants!

I do see deer from time to time here but less often than the muntjac. I should take a picture of the ivy filled hedge line – you can see the height that they nibble to. Almost like someone has gone along and pruned but only half the height.

I can see that my akebia is a little ahead of yours and I will post about it soon. I was surprised by # 5 and the deer! Do you live near the woods? Don’t you have fence wires to stop them? Beautiful animals but they could cause damage to plants and shrubs …

Look forward to seeing how yours is doing, probably slightly cooler here at a guess.
I have previously put up temporary fencing to protect the flower beds. More difficult with the veg as it would need all 4 sides protecting to about 8 foot high for deer. One of the neighbouring gardens is abandoned so is attractive to wildlife and that fence is in poor condition. Just to expensive for me to repair or replace.

A fence is expensive as you say, & not always a deterrent. I’m not a deer expert AT ALL but was wondering if some type of cage like is used against birds would work. I read a blog yesterday where the woman used old pallet wood to make the frame for her anti-bird cage, stretched whatever protective barrier over it then used tent stakes to keep it from blowing away. You could put glitter on it, if it’s too ugly.

Heathers do give such a lift of colour this time of year. We must have had different winters, as my akeblia quinata still has a lot of its leaves on it. And muntjak . . . hard to keep out, but lovely to see, but not very good neighbours altogether. Your conflict is so understandable. A nice Six you’ve got there.

It would be difficult especially given the height. With the raised beds it might be possible to protect those with winter crops a bit easier now. Protecting all the garden would just be to expensive so I have to be a bit selective.

How wonderful that you get Deer visiting the garden! I love seeing those little tiny buds of new life starting to emerge. It’s a good feeling when the little things are noticed. A lovely Six on Saturday ☺️

Thanks Nichola – it is nice to see them, until you notice the damage that is. It’s not unusual too see them during the day in neighbouring gardens at a slight distance. Have seen evidence of deer sleeping or resting in the garden before – patches of flattened and dry grass. Lucky for me I do get quite a bit of nature locally and in my garden.

Fortunately no deer here (if you discount the Margam Park herd which is a couple of miles away). Others who have them have told me that the only way to deal with them is proper fencing, preferably electric! So long may they remain absent. I did get a herd of cows in the garden once, though!